11-07-2024  6:36 pm   •   PDX and SEA Weather

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NORTHWEST NEWS

In Portland, Political Outsider Keith Wilson Elected Mayor After Homelessness-focused Race

Wilson, a Portland native and CEO of a trucking company, ran on an ambitious pledge to end unsheltered homelessness within a year of taking office.

‘Black Friday’ Screening Honors Black Portlanders, Encourages Sense of Belonging

The second annual event will be held Nov. 8 at the Hollywood Theatre.

Democratic Attorney General Bob Ferguson Wins Governor’s Race in Washington

Ferguson came to national prominence by repeatedly suing the administration of former President Donald Trump, including bringing the lawsuit that blocked Trump’s initial travel ban on citizens of several majority Muslim nations. 

African American Alliance On Homeownership Turns 25, Honors The Skanner Cofounder Bernie Foster

AAAH's executive director Cheryl Roberts recalls how the efforts of Bernie Foster led to an organization that now offers one-on-one counseling for prospective home buyers, homebuyer education, foreclosure prevention services, estate planning, assistance with down payments and more.

NEWS BRIEFS

Maxine Dexter Elected to Fill Earl Blumenauer's Seat

Blumenauer: “I can think of no person I would rather have take my place” ...

Dan Rayfield Elected Oregon’s Next Attorney General

Rayfield thanks AG Ellen Rosenblum and is honored "to follow her footsteps." ...

Elizabeth Steiner Statement on State Treasurer Victory

Treasurer-elect Steiner makes history as the first woman ever elected Oregon State Treasurer. ...

Merkley Statement on the Passing of Bob Sallinger

“Bob was a trusted voice, advising me on ways to safeguard the state’s natural wonders and wildlife and fighting against climate...

Troutdale Library Now Renovation Complete

Library provides refreshed experience for patrons with new, comfortable seating and carpeting ...

In Portland, Oregon, political outsider Keith Wilson elected mayor after homelessness-focused race

PORTLAND, Ore. (AP) — Voters in Portland, Oregon, have elected political outsider Keith Wilson as their new mayor, following a campaign in which he capitalized on years of growing frustration over homeless encampments, open drug use and quality of life concerns to outperform three City Council...

Freshman Democrat Val Hoyle wins reelection to US House in Oregon’s 4th Congressional District

PORTLAND, Ore. (AP) — Democratic U.S. Rep. Val Hoyle has won reelection in Oregon’s 4th Congressional District. The freshman incumbent defeated Republican Monique DeSpain, an Air Force veteran who has never held elected office and pitched herself as an “outsider” candidate. ...

Oklahoma visits Missouri for the first matchup of old Big 12 rivals in the Southeastern Conference

Oklahoma (5-4, 1-4 SEC) at Missouri (6-2, 2-2), Saturday, 7:45 p.m. EST (SEC Network) BetMGM College Football Odds: Missouri by 2 1/2. Series record: Oklahoma leads 67-24-5. What’s at stake? Oklahoma and Missouri, who first played each other...

Missouri Tigers host the Howard Bison in cross-conference contest

Howard Bison (0-1) at Missouri Tigers (0-1) Columbia, Missouri; Friday, 8 p.m. EST BOTTOM LINE: Missouri hosts Howard in out-of-conference play. Missouri finished 8-24 overall with a 6-11 record at home during the 2023-24 season. The Tigers shot 43.9% from...

OPINION

Why Not Voting Could Deprioritize Black Communities

President Biden’s Justice40 initiative ensures that 40% of federal investment benefits flow to disadvantaged communities, addressing deep-seated inequities. ...

The Skanner News 2024 Presidential Endorsement

It will come as no surprise that we strongly endorse Vice President Kamala Harris for president. ...

Black Retirees Growing Older and Poorer: 2025 Social Security COLA lowest in 10 years

As Americans live longer, the ability to remain financially independent is an ongoing struggle. Especially for Black and other people of color whose lifetime incomes are often lower than that of other contemporaries, finding money to save for ‘old age’ is...

The Skanner Endorsements: Oregon State and Local Ballot Measures

Ballots are now being mailed out for this very important election. Election Day is November 5. Ballots must be received or mailed with a valid postmark by 8 p.m. Election Day. View The Skanner's ballot measure endorsements. ...

AFRICAN AMERICANS IN THE NEWS

Racist text messages referencing slavery raise alarms in multiple states and prompt investigations

WASHINGTON (AP) — Racist text messages invoking slavery raised alarm across the country this week after they were sent to Black men, women and students, including middle schoolers, prompting inquiries by the FBI and other agencies. The messages, sent anonymously, were reported in...

Kasha-Katuwe Tent Rocks National Monument in New Mexico is set to reopen

ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. (AP) — The Kasha-Katuwe Tent Rocks National Monument in New Mexico, which closed in March 2020 amid the COVID-19 pandemic, is reopening later this month. The U.S. Bureau of Land Management and Cochiti Pueblo announced Thursday the monument will reopen Nov. 21....

A new law allows Israel to deport the relatives of attackers. Experts expect it to be struck down

JERUSALEM (AP) — Israel’s parliament passed a law early Thursday that would allow it to deport family members of Palestinian attackers, including the country’s own citizens, to the war-ravaged Gaza Strip or other locations. The law, which was championed by members of Prime...

ENTERTAINMENT

Book Review: A man searches for meaning in Mike Fu's unnerving debut novel, 'Masquerade'

Meadow is coming up on 10 years living in New York, and he’s still adrift. His boyfriend ghosted him, his current residence is actually a housesitting gig, and his bartending job isn’t exactly filling his parents with pride. But this summer, strange things keep happening that will make or break...

Macy’s Thanksgiving Parade will feature Ariana Madix, T-Pain, 'Gabby’s Dollhouse' and pasta

NEW YORK (AP) — A eclectic group of stars — including reality TV's Ariana Madix, Broadway belter Idina Menzel, hip-hop's T-Pain, members of the WNBA champions New York Liberty and country duo Dan + Shay — will feature in this year's Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade. Music...

Celebrity birthdays for the week of Nov. 10-16

Celebrity birthdays for the week of Nov. 10-16: Nov. 10: Blues singer Bobby Rush is 90. Actor Albert Hall (“Ally McBeal,” ″Beloved”) is 87. Country singer Donna Fargo is 83. Lyricist Tim Rice is 80. Actor Jack Scalia is 74. Director Roland Emmerich (“The Patriot,”...

U.S. & WORLD NEWS

White evangelical voters show steadfast support for Donald Trump's presidency

After former President Donald Trump gave his victory speech early Wednesday, at the Palm Beach Convention Center,...

Fans flood @Pontifex account after it inadvertantly cites New Orleans Saints amid dreadful season

ROME (AP) — The New Orleans Saints may be one of the worst teams in the NFL this season, but at least they can...

Cuba left reeling after Category 3 hurricane ravages island and knocks out power grid

HAVANA (AP) — Cuba was left reeling Thursday after a fierce Category 3 hurricane ripped across the island,...

Italy opens procedure against China's Sinochem for possible breach of Pirelli governance

MILAN (AP) — Italy has opened an administrative procedure against China’s Sinochem, the largest shareholder in...

For many Iranians, Trump’s return intensifies worries about war. Yet some see reasons for hope

TEHRAN, Iran (AP) — Iranians, like many around the world, are divided on what Donald Trump's next presidency...

Notre Dame marks arrival of Paris Olympics’ iconic trackside bell as cathedral reopening nears

PARIS (AP) — Paris’s Notre Dame cathedral, whose historic bells were silenced following 2019’s devastating...

CNN Wire Staff

(CNN) -- Former Penn State defensive coordinator Jerry Sandusky will appeal his convictions on numerous counts of child sexual abuse, a member of his defense team says.

After a trial that featured emotional and often graphic testimony from eight of Sandusky's victims, jurors late Friday convicted him of 45 of the 48 sexual abuse counts he faced involving 10 victims.

The eight victims, now young men, testified that they were boys when Sandusky forced them to engage in sexual acts with him. The acts occurred, they said, in showers in Penn State's athletic facilities; hotel rooms; and the basement of Sandusky's home, among other places. The abuse spanned more than 15 years.

After being found guilty, Sandusky, 68, was taken immediately to the jail in Centre County, Pennsylvania. Judge John Cleland said Friday he will be sentenced in about 90 days. He likely will be sentenced to serve the rest of his life behind bars.

Sandusky's defense team plans to file a motion for appeal, claiming he had ineffective counsel, defense attorney Karl Rominger said Sunday. Under Pennsylvania law, that motion cannot be filed until after sentencing.

If Cleland agrees to a hearing on the motion, lead defense attorney Joe Amendola would step aside and appear as a witness, the attorney said. Rominger said either he or another attorney would argue the motion.

The appellate claim will be based on Amendola's "talking to the media," Rominger said. And a linchpin of the appeal will be prosecutor Joe McGettigan's statements during his closing argument, when he told jurors that Sandusky could have proclaimed his innocence during an interview with NBC's Bob Costas. That violates Sandusky's right to post-arrest trial silence, Rominger said.

Rominger said he will ask Cleland to sentence Sandusky to serve concurrent sentences, with the maximum being 20 years. At the very least, he said, he hopes to get Cleland to acknowledge the good works Sandusky has done in his life.

Sandusky has a right to speak during sentencing, something Rominger said will be discussed in the coming weeks.

Rominger said on Saturday that he and Amendola attempted to withdraw from the case before the trial, telling Cleland the day before jury selection began that they did not feel adequately prepared and that it would be "unethical" for them to move forward. Cleland denied their request, he said. Rominger said he did not mention the issue earlier because a gag order was in place.

If Cleland denies the appeal motion, it would be likely to become part of a broader appeal, Rominger said. Ineffective counsel is a common appeal tactic, but a broader appeal may cite other reasons as well.

"If you win on one of the appeal issues, everything probably falls," Amendola said last week. "All we have to do is convince an appellate court that one of the issues we will raise is worthy of a reversal."

Rominger earlier pointed to "a lot of unique legal issues where (Cleland) made rulings that could be overturned -- not because they were, per se, wrong, but because the law in the area was so unclear."

Asked about the appeal Monday, Nils Frederiksen, spokesman for the Pennsylvania attorney general's office, said, "We're not going to fight the appellate process with press releases. We're confident that everything in the trial was handled appropriately."

Rominger acknowledged Sunday an appeal may present a tough challenge, as attorneys would have to prove they have significant evidence that could have altered the trial's outcome.

And Cleland could easily rule that evidence presented at trial was so overwhelming -- the victims' testimony, for instance -- that it would not have changed the end result, Rominger said.

Despite widespread speculation, Sandusky did not take the stand in his own defense. Amendola said after the verdict that decision was made because Sandusky's adopted son, Matt, was prepared to testify as a rebuttal witness that he, too, was sexually abused by Sandusky.

As of Saturday, Sandusky was on what is commonly called suicide watch, Rominger said. That was not an indication that Sandusky is suicidal, he added, but Cleland and the jail warden just wanted "to put the precautions in place first and then evaluate later."

The former coach will be classified at Pennsylvania's Camp Hill diagnostic facility before he is likely sent to a sex offender unit in the state prison system, Rominger said. If he is sentenced to more than two years, the Pennsylvania Department of Corrections would determine the prison where he would serve his time.

Beyond the appeals process, Sandusky could face more charges, perhaps tied to claims made by his adopted son or related to alleged sexual abuse that took place outside Centre County -- including in hotel rooms in Texas and Florida, where some accusers say they accompanied him to Penn State bowl games.

The university itself also still faces fallout from the case, which shook Penn State and raised questions about its response to the abuse allegations. Two former administrators -- Vice President Gary Schultz and Athletic Director Tim Curley -- are awaiting trial on charges of perjury and failing to report abuse. Prosecutors said the two did not notify police after former graduate student and football assistant Mike McQueary told them he saw Sandusky sodomizing a boy in a Penn State shower in 2001.

Authorities didn't learn about McQueary's account until years later. It led to the ouster of iconic head football coach Joe Paterno and university President Graham Spanier. Paterno died shortly afterward of lung cancer.

In addition to the testimony from McQueary and a former janitor at Penn State, several victims said they were repeatedly molested on university property.

In a statement released Friday night after the verdict, the school signaled it wants to seek resolution -- hinting that might include a financial settlement -- with the victims.

"The university wants to provide a forum where the university can privately, expeditiously and fairly address the victims' concerns and compensate them for claims relating to the university," the statement said.

CNN's Susan Candiotti and In Session's Jean Casarez contributed to this report.

 

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